The March of Democracy

Brian Dettmer's intricate book sculptures celebrate traditional print's tactile richness and glorious physicality. Using old volumes he finds at thrift stores and estate sales, Dettmer selectively carves and "excavates" images and text, revealing new meanings or interpretations without adding to or moving content. For The March of Democracy, Dettmer transformed the first five volumes of a series of the same title, which chronicle the history of the United States from discovery and settlement to its entry into World War II.